Welly’s wanting for vibe
14 Sep 2011
JON CARDINELLI says Wellington has failed to replicate the hype and excitement that characterised the build up to the tournament opener in Auckland.
Auckland set some pretty high standards. As you walked the city streets down to the Viadcut, you got the sense that some big and significant event was about to commence. It wasn’t just the flags in the shop windows, or the gimmicky games and stalls at the Waterfront. It wasn’t sign after sign reminding you that a World Cup was about to kick off, cuz, and you had better be ready.
It was more a sense of mounting excitement, a positive energy shared by foreigners and locals alike. It all reached a powerful climax at that opening ceremony at Eden Park, and if you were at the ground, you couldn’t help but be swept up in the moment. If this fantastic opening was just the start, I told a colleague, we should expect even greater excitement in the weeks to come. New Zealand would give us a tournament to remember. Right?
Unfortunately, I’m starting to have my doubts that these excitement levels can be sustained for six whole weeks. Some of my colleagues claim that Queenstown is the place to be, while those who watched the minnow clashes in Rotorua and Whangarei feel the Rugby World Cup spirit is alive and well. Myself and Ryan Vrede, however, have been based in Wellington for the past week, and compared to Auckland, it has been pretty dull.
Peter de Villiers said on Monday that Wellington can give you five seasons in one day, but on some days it’s felt as if we’ve had five winters all at once. The driving rain and bone-chilling wind was never going to keep South African and Welsh supporters away from Sunday’s game, but it has kept the tourists in check in the days that have followed.
We’ve had some bitterly cold weather, even when the sun’s been at its highest, and when the rain has hit, it’s hit hard. Tuesday was the worst, with lighting and hailstones adding to the apocalyptic experience.
There were no World Cup matches scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, and that certainly effected the vibe. On Wednesday, I took a walk down to the Fan Park at the Waterfront to watch the Samoa vs Namibia and Tonga vs Canada games on the big screen. Samoa supporters turned out in their scores and there were a fair few Canadians, but it wasn’t exactly what you’d call a festival atmosphere.
Perhaps my expectations are too high. I came to this World Cup expecting an all-out rock concert, but at the moment it seems as if the band has taken a break to play unplugged tracks. Nothing has quite lived up to the opening act.
I chatted to a member of the Springbok management about the subdued vibe in Wellington, and he admitted that he was also surprised and a little disappointed. And only four days remain before the Boks head north to Taupo, a beautiful yet smaller and quieter place.
Before the tournament, the Bok management decided to base the team in Taupo for their last two pool matches, even though Taupo is some 250kms from where the Boks will play Namibia and Samoa at the North Harbour Stadium. The coaches wanted to shield the players and give them a break from the general World Cup madness. Judging by what we’ve seen in the last few days, a break from the hype is not really needed.
Following Saturday’s clash against Fiji, Vrede and I will follow the Boks up to Taupo in our (thus far) trusty campervan – it fetches and carries, hence the nickname of ‘Heinrich’. We’re expecting better weather, but not holding our breath for a better World Cup vibe. Hopefully by the time we get back to Wellington for the quarter-finals, the tournament would have got a second wind.
The public pressure is definitely on the All Blacks, and boy have they copped some criticism in the last week. Apart from reading the Kiwi media, we’ve had some time to listen to what the locals have been saying on the various radio stations. No Kiwi will be satisfied with anything less that a World Cup title, and new team or not, the All Blacks are expected to annihilate Japan at the weekend.
‘We wont settle for mediocrity!’ screamed one shock jock at a caller who had tried to persuade listeners to curb their criticism and get behind the team. If the Blacks choke again, there will be absolute carnage.
73 Comments
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14 Sep 2011, 15:49 pm
No the Boks will be there … i prefer to watch the game on the my lcd! i prefer to watch the game in perfect weather and at a place where you actually can buy meat or biltong! I saw Kobus Wiese on a show – he had to buy 2 Big Macs and take out the patties just to get something that looks like a steak!
14 Sep 2011, 16:00 pm
Hey JC and RV you should come down to the level of Mr Average if you want some vibe. We were at the backpackers bar near the stadium before and after the game and the atmosphere was electric. The Waterfront, Cuba street and elsewhere rocked until 4 am with as many Bok-jerseyed supporters as Welsh. Where the hell were you guys that you missed out?
And the idea is not to hang out in Wellies until the next game on Saturday and wonder where the fans are. Half of them took the ferry over to the South Isld Monday am and will only be back Friday after soaking up the Marlborough wineroute and other delights.
14 Sep 2011, 16:13 pm
anyone know when the team will be announced?
14 Sep 2011, 16:16 pm
@out wide(out wide)-52: they are sharing a campervan … nuff said
14 Sep 2011, 16:47 pm
Boo_Habana(suffer_guy) I see that you got your own nickname…fake poppa
14 Sep 2011, 16:48 pm
@RL(RL)-54:
hehehe
14 Sep 2011, 16:55 pm
Oliver and all of youse.
Listen and learn and understand the Keohane politics! The cubs have been banished to wellies for the duration while the HM lives it up everywhere.
Budgetary constraints.
14 Sep 2011, 18:17 pm
@out wide(out wide)-52:
Some just have no clue eh?
14 Sep 2011, 18:19 pm
Good grief this place is like Wellington on a bad day
14 Sep 2011, 18:33 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-38:
Maybe not sell outs, but 2007 average attendance , were 43 000 per game, yes per game. I remembered minnows like Spain, and Portugal pull 40 000 plus crowds in W/C 07
Looks like 2011 is a failure when it comes to spectators.
There is apparently only 85 000 in NZ , dammit we pack that in one stadium here.
This W/C is going to be a massive financial loss to IRB , why , the TV rights is the lowest ever cause of NZ are 11 hours ahead of Europe.
Come on NZ’ers make it a joll down there, it’s in your hands to make it a awesome event.We know you can.
Go Bokke.
Carnage !!!!!! there will be carnage sorry ALL Blacks 4my
14 Sep 2011, 19:02 pm
@haaibok(haaibok)-60: Indeed a huge financial loss but someone has to pay for 24 years of failure …. it’s not me cause I will not wake up at 5am to watch any match.
14 Sep 2011, 19:14 pm
@Izwe Lethu(keo)-50:
Thanks boss. Die snoek is pap. Maar Jon en Helen kuier lekka daar in die Wellies.
14 Sep 2011, 19:22 pm
Nee Ethel hulle kuier niks lekker nie lees die artikel!
14 Sep 2011, 19:26 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-63:
Die emails vertel ‘n ander storie Dawn. Hulle maak asof dit kakerak is.
14 Sep 2011, 19:32 pm
Oh regtig??
14 Sep 2011, 21:14 pm
The grizzling comes from roughing it in a campervan. It’s called “cabin fever”.
14 Sep 2011, 21:37 pm
Jon, you need to Mermaids!
14 Sep 2011, 22:24 pm
@RL(RL)-61:
You seem to be a bit behind like a couple of others.
IRB have not and will not lose money on this,they wont get as much if they held it somewhere else,thats a fact. Its the NZRU thats going to lose big money,oh and the NZ tax payer.
Shame you wont wake up to watch any match at 5am. I get up at 3.am to watch any 3 nations games that played in SA and even had time after the game to talk on here. Some people are comitted to the game, some people come on here and complain about everything.
15 Sep 2011, 04:27 am
@BreakdownBoy(goodstuff)-25: Nothing wrong with league mate. Finals are underway just at the moment over here, and the atmosphere is unreal. State of origin still rates as one of the best live experiences around, and that’s coming from some of your saffer mates living in our great country.
Union is great, but could do without reset scrums and other waste of time stopages. Added to that field goals are worth one point, which ensures i don’t have to see running rugga ruined by some **** with a penchant for the damn things.
Maybe get into the game before slagging it.
Both games have their virtues.
15 Sep 2011, 07:45 am
Wellington is the party capital of NZ.
Keep in mind that after you have done all the adrenaline stuff that NZ is a utterly boring,depressing and without gees.
NZ is very beautifull though.
Take your Kindle with when you go because you will have lots of time to read.
15 Sep 2011, 08:00 am
@TahRoo(TahRoo)-69:
Boring as bat sh*t that game. Had the misfortune to attend a game this year and the most exiting part of the game was the cheerleaders walking past every 15 minutes, followed closely by the team mascot who was actually very funny.
As for the game, the 20k crowd sat around twiddling their thumbs for 5 tackles and then all went into a little frenzy when the bomb went up just to sit down and do nothing till the next bomb! Oh yes, abusing the opposition players when they close enough to the sideline is apparently also part of the ‘action’…or hurling abuse at the visiting supporters if you close to them!
Njet, give me an afl game long before I ever attend another league game.
15 Sep 2011, 08:33 am
“We’ve had some bitterly cold weather………”
Woooooow,
What the fuuck were you expecting at longditude 42 South, in the first week of spring ?
15 Sep 2011, 14:42 pm
What is South Africas party town? i’ve been to SA three times (due to going out with one of your own) and have found it very dull ,dangerous and depressing!!
Maybe that is hy so many Saffas now live in NZ and Australia, with all major cities in NZ in Aussie in the top 15 most livable cities in the World. South Africa cities nowhere to be seen.
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